Hey everybody, long time camper short time lurker. Great forum here because even people who have camped their whole lives have questions. Here it is, we bought a new Puma 30FQSS 2 summers ago (this is the third) with a 6 gal Suburban hot water tank. The problem is not temperature but volume of hot water. We had our first child last year, we had never used the bath tub, only Navy showers as we don't have full hook up. While filling the tub with water for the little guy's bath I can only get 2" of hot water out before it runs cold, 6 gal should put alot more hot water in than that. This is turning only the hot water tap on. I have asked around and even other campers with the 6 gal are getting more. We moved up from an '81 Prowler which I am sure only had a 6 in it and I can tell you that we got ALOT more hot water out of that. I checked the relief and the tank is full. If it was a water tank at home, I would be looking at the dip tube but these (as far as I know) don't have one. The water for the trailer is off of the pump and holding tank not out of a cold tap and city water connection. I am a pretty mechanically inclined guy but I'm not sure where to look now. Any advice is welcome, sorry for the long post. Thanks in advance
I would guess that 2" of water in a tub is in fact, probably 6 gallons. Think about a 5 gallon bucket poured out in there. Since there is no way you would set a child in scalding hot only water, when you mix in the cold to reach an acceptable temp, there would several more inches of water. Most water heaters of the RV style are not capable of recovering while the water is being used, they take time. I suspect your water temp is set very low or your bypass valve in incorrect, as mentioned above, for you to even have run out hot water only and having added no cold water. That should be scalding hot. Try turning up the temp on the water heater. Also, by using gas and electric when you have hookups, you will speed the recovery time. Also, you might try using a dishpan to do a sponge bath like you probably did when they were a newborn to create a "Navy" tub bath. Just a couple of ideas. If you are interested, my wife has severe rheumatoid arthritis and I installed a 2nd 6 gallon water heater in a previous TT we owned. Let me know if you would be interested in details. Good luck.
2005 Chev 2500 PU CC 4x4 SB Duramax/Allison with ARE Camper Top
2002 Keystone Hornet 32R TT w/ 1 slide
Wife: (Jane) Artsy person and Haiku Poet that loves to camp
Son: Junior at NCSU
RV Usage Pre-2006:unknown, 2006:60 nights, 2007:53 nights
Gotta go with the crowd on this one. Check your bypass valve. 6 gallons is only 6 gallons. If you turn up your temp you will get more hot water and therefore can add more cold to get the desired temp and quantity of warm water.
2001 Salem 27BH by Forest River w/Barker 3000
2003 Dodge Ram 1500 HEMI 5 speed auto 3.92s Quad Cab 4X4
Hey thanks for the responses, I am heading up to the lake tonight so I will double check the bypass, I am certain it is closed, I may also fill a 5 gal bucket just to see. It just doesn't seem like 6 gals though, the electric and gas for recovery is a good one. Thanks again guys, will post again if I find out anything else. Have a good weekend
I worked in a place that had a 5 gallon 110 volt water heater and it put out a lot less than your 6 gallon heater is doing. I could not get enough hot water to fill the mop bucket. and it took the rest of the day to heat back up. A RV heater is a much better source of hot water and more efficient appliance. Are you using electric to heat it up or propane?
The input and output water lines to the water heater could be swapped. the hot output should be the the upper of the two. If the lines were swapped you would get less true HOT water from the tank.
2007 Jayco Jayflight 31BHDS
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First, how do you get faster recovery using elec. and propane? Doesn't recover with the same heating element? Second, I cannot find a control on my HWT to increase the temp, where would that be located?
The newer RV water heaters that I have seen don't have an adjustable thermostat.
Not all Rv water heaters have both propane and electric capability. Yours may be propane only.
If you don't have the Installation/operation manual for your water heater, it may be available from the manufacturer online. Reading the instructions is always a good idea.
I second the thought of filling a five (or six) gallon bucket and pouring it in the bath tub. You may be surprised at how little water you actually have in the tub!
Unless the baby is REALLY dirty, it probably doesn't actually need a tub bath anyway, a sponge bath would do just fine. (yes, I raised a kid or five, been there, did that!)
If all else fails, and DW insists the baby needs a tub bath, you can always put a pot or kettle of water on the stove to heat, then add that to what comes from the water heater, then add cold to make the temp right.
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